Page:Hutton, William Holden - Hampton Court (1897).djvu/129

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HOSTILE AGITATIONS
73

the King in the park and other where attending him; no offence at any time passed amongst the soldiers of either party; there was an amnesty by consent, pleasing, as was thought, to all parties.

"His Majesty, during these halcyon days, intimated to the Earl of Northumberland that he desired to see his children, who, at that time, were under the government of that nobleman, and then in his house at Sion, which is about seven miles from Hampton Court, in the way to London. The relater, amongst other the King's servants, followed his Majesty to Sion, which is denominated from the Holy Mount so named near Hierusalem. . . . Here the King met the young Duke of Gloucester and Princess Elizabeth, who, so soon as they saw their royal father, upon their knees they begged his blesssing, who heartily gave it, and was overjoyed to see them so well in health and so honourably regarded. The Earl welcomed the King with a very noble treat, and his followers had their tables richly furnished, by his behaviour expressing extraordinary contentment to see the King and his children together, after such various chances and so long a separation. Night drawing on, his Majesty returned to Hampton Court.

"The fairest day is seldom without a cloud; for at this time some active and malevolent persons of the army, disguised under the specious name of Agitators, being two selected out of every regiment to meet and debate the concerns of the army, met frequently at Putney and places thereabouts; who,